Momentum
by CoolyCakeCove
Summary: Kuroto's past life with his previous partner.
1. This is the End

**Momentum**

 _Kuroto's past life with his partner before death._

.

Pre-Momentum

* * *

Ever since he could remember, his partner was always at his side. Oboro had long, delicate black hair he normally kept tied and the softest, amber eyes Kuroto ever saw. He was taller than him by a mere 6 centimeters so no matter what, Kuroto had to look up to him, physically and mentally.

The best thing he loved about Oboro was that he was the calm Kuroto always needed. Kuroto had the Feet of God. It was in his blood to keep moving fast, to avoid the details and keep moving, to have such a high amount of energy. Weapon practice was Kuroto's favorite activity; he got every excuse to use his speed and hyper reflexes to attack the dummy or another opponent. He had a black katana to top it off. He. Was. Amazing.

But then as soon as Kuroto's ego swelled, Oboro was right there, poking the side of his head and telling him to come back down to earth in that lighthearted way of his.

He called Kuroto using his former name. "You didn't do anything special today, Inochi," he said with a cheeky grin. "But that's okay. We'll still get some sweets together."

Kuroto would pout, de-summon his sword, and urge Oboro to hurry up and get to the garden so that they could eat the sweets. Oboro would bring sweets enough for both of them as they sat in the grass, under a tree during night. Kuroto opened his bag of sweets and ate them gleefully and quickly, barely savoring the flavor.

 _Oboro gets mad at me 'cause of this_ , he thought, waiting. No scolding came. He looked over to his partner who looked at something hidden with his kimono.

"Oboro, what're you looking at?"

Oboro took his time to reply, irritating the other. "They're seeds...from my favorite plant."

"Favorite plant?" How come he didn't know something like that? He wanted to know now. Know everything he could about the plant.

"Recently, I've been practicing gardening. It's so much fun, but you wouldn't like it much, Inochi. It's a slow process."

Kuroto wrinkled his nose. He didn't even know about his new hobby. It made sense that he was gardening; so often would Oboro leave in the middle of night with an enigmatic smile and how he would skip practice sometimes. He didn't like to keep Oboro's secret life a secret.

"I don't care. You're going to show me your plants - right after we eat."

"Ah, you really want to see? I'm really excited to show you them." Oboro had such a pleasant smile on his face. Kuroto would never forget it.

With that, Kuroto ate the rest of his food before a leaf could fall and touch the ground. He watched as Oboro finished eating his first sweet, really savoring the tang and texture, and talked about how it tasted. He only got halfway into the second treat when Kuroto grabbed his bag, inhaled his share of sweets, and urged the taller boy to show him the plants already.

Oboro's flowers were hidden under a slouched over tree with droopy branches. It was one of the more farther places from the Twilight Mansion. He pointed to green foliage and said, "There they are."

"That's not a flower. Those are leaves."

"No, not there." With a chuckle, Oboro guided Kuroto's head to the flowers. "There." Kuroto's eyes widened.

From the foliage were long, protruding stems. Hanging from off the stems were beautiful flowers. The almost bloomed flowers looked like pink hearts while the fully bloomed looked like split hearts curled at the ends with a white stem jutting out. Flowers that looked like hearts? They existed? Kuroto reached out to gingerly touch one, the slowest he had moved in a while. During his trance, Oboro pushed Kuroto's chin to shut his gaping mouth.

"Beautiful, aren't they?"

Kuroto nodded. "What's this called?"

"They go by lots of names, but I think this suits in the most: the bleeding heart flower. See, the pink petals make the heart, and it's split open. The stem can be seen as the heart bleeding out."

"...they're beautiful, but I hate that name." He started to feel as though the flowers were actually broken hearts.

"You do? There's always the other names. How about 'lady-in-a-bath flowers?'"

"Eh?"

Oboro took a flower and flipped it upside down without ripping it off the stem. "The stem becomes a lovely lady with milky-white skin. The petals are her bath." He looked at his partner with a wry grin. "You don't have a girl that you really like, do you?"

Kuroto made a choking noise. "I-I-I could care less about that stuff! What about you? Got some girl on your mind?"

"No, not at all."

Oboro had a lingering smile and spoke as if he wanted to continue his sentence.

Kuroto felt anxiety at his unnatural pause, but if Oboro was in pain somehow, Kuroto wasn't going to let him linger in it. So he said, "What if we picked a few and decorated the table with the flowers? Everyone could enjoy their beauty."

"Then we'll gather a different kind of flower. I only want to enjoy them with you."

His voice was sharp, hushed. Not natural.

"Oboro - "

"Wait, I'm serious. I want to show you more flowers. Come on, Inochi, before they realize we're gone." He grabbed Kuroto's hand and took him futher into the garden. Before long, he stopped and knelt. Kuroto copied him.

Oboro pointed to tiny flowers with white petals and a yellow inside. "This is a neat little flower I found. Want to know why it's so special?"

"It's really tiny?"

"Good guess." With a goofy grin, Oboro set up a hallowed bamboo tube to run water through it and rained down a steady stream on the small flowers below.

"Oboro, you'll drown the flowers...!"

"Watch. It stimulates rainwater."

He watched as told and...had to refocus his eyes. The white seemed to turn into a glassy gray into transparency. Oboro stopped the water so Kuroto could see it better. The once white and yellow flowers are now clear and yellow. He can see the white color slowly come back.

"What did you do? Is that normal water?"

Oboro nodded. "This is the skeleton flower. I don't know why, but when it rains, it grows clear like a mirror. These flowers mesmerize me. If you want to put a flower on the table, chose these. They make great tricks," he added with a smile.

"You're really good at this gardening stuff..."

"I'm nothing special. This just takes time, patience, and love. This isn't a fast sport, after all."

Honestly, Kuroto didn't want to do something as slow as planting or farming, but, _darn it_ , there was nothing more amazing than seeing Oboro's passion on his face. Whenever the two of them finished training at night and ate sweets outside, Oboro showed Kuroto more and more of his unique flowers, but he showed the bleeding heart flower first without fail. With his permission, Kuroto left flowers of different kinds everywhere a Zweilt usually hung out, using his speed to get away. Every guardian received their own, anonymous flower.

But despite his kind actions, Kuroto never really cared about the others. No, it's more like he never felt the need to familiarize himself with the others, not while he could become closer to Oboro. The others did the same. But for every subsequent dinner, he saw more and more Zweilt open up to the others in hopes of finding the culprit and thank them. The girls wore their flowers in their hair or outfits. The boys stuck their flowers close to their rings. Both seemed bright with joy.

"Kuroto, put your flower here." Oboro touched the clothing over Kuroto's heart that night.

"But...this is the bleeding heart. It's special - "

"It is. But with your scheme, if we're the only two without flowers, then the mystery's already solved, eh?"

"I see..." Truth be told, he was thrilled to have such a loved flower close to his heart. "What's your flower?"

Oboro took his time pulling his flower out. He showed Kuroto the palm on which the flower was placed. It had five petals jutting out like a lion's mane and were pitch black. In the center was a fading pink color. It looked rotten to Kuroto. If the flower didn't have a smell, he would've questioned why Oboro chose a dead flower.

Instead, Kuroto said, "Why'd you pick this?"

Oboro smelled the flower before responding. "This is the cymbidium orchid, also know as the boat orchid. I chose it because of what it stands for. The Chinese prize this flower for fertility, charm, thoughtfulness, and for love."

Kuroto watched his partner place the flower above his heart. "Fertility? In case you haven't noticed, you're a guy. Guys don't get pregnant," he teased.

"Fertility isn't just about carrying babies. Like they say, it takes two to make a baby."

"Yuuuck, cut that gross stuff out! I'm not ready to grow up and have my own children yet."

"Then I'll just wait until you're ready. And then I'll support you, Inochi."

His warm smiles made Kuroto look away. "Well...what if I don't ever want children?" he mumbled under his breath like a toddler.

"Huh?"

"...what if I don't ever want children?"

"Ah...um...we're running low on members. You'll likely be forced to marry some girl and populate. So will I. Why would you say that?"

Kuroto bit his tongue, urging for the guts to voice his thoughts. His guts failed him. He looked up to Oboro once again, knowing the older boy wouldn't be afraid to voice his thoughts. Disappointed, he replied, "You think the girls will be jealous of of my flower?"

"...I hope so."

"Wh-What do you mean 'I hope so?'"

Oboro smirked. "There's nothing more I love than being reminded how lucky I am to be your partner."

Kuroto turned away, feeling his ears go hot. "Quit saying those weird things. I'm bored now. Let's go train or do something where I can burn some energy."

"Burning energy," his partner mumbled. "You actually want me to work..."

They spent a few hours sparring one another until dawn was imminent. Kuroto was fast and Oboro was slower. Kuroto liked his quick sword movements and Oboro preferred to stay back, think, and strike with his naginata. Where Kuroto preferred force, Oboro preferred to parry and redirect. As as result, Kuroto failed to win, even though he managed to hit his partner several times. His stamina just isn't as good as Oboro's.

The very next day, Kuroto had to function with little amounts of sleep and sore muscles. Forgetting about the flower on his chest, several girls freaked out at his pretty flower and got jealous like Oboro predicted.

•

Kuroto had his suspicions when Oboro requested a horse as transportation instead of walking. But Oboro's new hat that dipped over his eyes ticked him off.

"You're definitely sleeping!" Oboro didn't stir. "Oboro!"

He yawned. "You called?"

"Quit sleeping! I hate seeing people sleep while there's things to do."

"It's in my nature to rest, Inochi. Are we there yet?"

"Yes, we are. Nagano Village. AKA, the vampire village."

Homes with only two or three people were raided during the night and by day, everyone in the house was slaughtered and their blood removed. The two of them were to find out the cause - likely a Duras's work.

Oboro sniffed. "You can already smell that metallic blood."

"I can't."

"I think that's because you aren't tall enough."

Kuroto pulled out his paper fan for moments like these and whacked the boy's head. "Height jokes are off limits." Namely because if one person joked about his height, everyone would think it to be okay.

The two got off their animals and got to work on solving the mystery. Oboro was perfect at looking at all the minor details and could handle long pieces of information - he rarely forgot anything. Kuroto was great at getting short pieces in information and connected small pieces together. He couldn't handle paperwork, but he had a great intuition for mysteries. He could make great leaps in logic and have them actually be accurate, though he could never explain himself.

They went around the town asking for anything. There were contradictions, helpful statements, witnesses, and plenty of paperwork. The two worked together to connect the dots, Oboro sipping jasmine tea and Kuroto pacing non-stop.

"It has to be a General Class at least," Kuroto was saying. "The intense energy surges, the outright ease the humans died, remnants of a silencing barrier around every house, the complete lack of Grimoire in this place - but who? Who could it be? You don't think...Zess did all this, do you? What if he betrayed us already?"

Oboro sipped his tea, enjoyed the sweet taste, and swallowed, exhaling loudly. "This scent is simply heavenly. It's even better while the tea is still hot. Maybe it's just me, but I feel as though I can smell the heat, the sweetness of honey, and the jasmine petals. It reminds me of your hugs - sweet and warm."

"Are you even listening to me?! This is serious business! We have to solve this before more people are turned into bloodless corpses!"

"I'm aware," his partner replied with a strained voice. "I'm also aware that my partner can't stop and smell the roses. Let's not jump to conclusions just yet."

"If we don't, nothing will get done! We'll sit here until we're seventy, taking our precious time solving this thing!"

Oboro set his cup down and offered Kuroto the other cup. "Have some tea. I used sugar instead of honey, just how you like it. It will calm you down, and - "

"This isn't the time for tea!" Faster than even he could recognize, Kuroto swiped the teacup out his hand and watched it shatter on the ground. "...wait...I didn't mean to..."

Oboro stared at the mess with a slightly ajar mouth. "You know, I grew the jasmine flowers for this tea. The flowers are the easy part. It's creating the tea that took the most time and care. And I'm really proud of the result, too. I hope the ground and all its critters enjoy the tea."

"Oboro, I didn't mean to! It was an accident!"

"You move too fast. There's not enough time to think or process things. Sometimes it's useful, sometimes it's not. You need to learn when it's not."

"It's not just my fault here. You're too slow! Could you try to move a bit faster, just this once? After all, you need to learn when your slowness is useful or not."

Oboro looked down on Kuroto with hard, amber eyes. "I already know when it's useful or not. I have solved many, many solo cases just being my usual self. This is no different. Without my help, Inochi, how many cases have you solved being fast?" He waited for a response. "Exactly. You're going too fast. I know you can solve this mystery if you just slow your mind."

Kuroto averted his eyes. He hated disappointing Oboro because he never forgot. He rarely brought up his mistakes, but he knew that he still remembered some form of it. He hated being talked down upon as well. It made his insecurity come to light and in order to hide that raw emotion, Kuroto resorted to anger.

"Maybe it's not because I'm too fast - maybe you're just better than me! Maybe I'm holding you back from your potential!"

"That's not true at all. You're my life, Inochi. I enjoy your presence, no matter what."

Darn his stupid smile, trying to cool down Kuroto's anger. "Let's take a break. I'll work on my own, and so will you. Argument solved." He turned and opened the tent flap.

"Argument not solved. Argument avoided sounds more likely."

He ignored his voice and left the safety of his partner. For three days more, he gathered more clues and avoided Oboro. He had little confidence he was going to solve it before his partner, but his ego forced him to try. He couldn't wait for Oboro to prove him wrong and welcome him back, always forgiving him. Then they'd eat more Japanese sweets together.

Whenever Kuroto saw him, he didn't seem angry at all. He seemed almost lonely, mostly neutral, and continued to roam around the village in his usual, slow way.

On the eve of one night, a sudden energy surge knocked him out of the tree he slept in and into wakefulness. He was able to quickly focus himself and saw where it came from: just over the hill on the outskirts. He summoned his sword and turned around in Oboro's direction. Even if he could easily run to his tent and get him, Oboro was too slow to make it in time. Plus, Kuroto was about to win their little fight.

He crossed the distance within seconds. He stopped when he saw the Duras needlessly slaughtering farm animals with some kind of twisted smile. That's why he hated the monsters. Judging by the uniform the man wears, it's a General Class. He never fought one before; he had no idea how strong one was.

"Oi, you think I'm gonna let you keep murdering these people?" Kuroto growled, katana ready.

The other turned to face the boy, looked him over, and his blood-red eyes sparkled. "Zweilt of the Giou. I'm glad you're here. It was getting boring killing weak normals. Killing you will be fun."

His hands started to sweat. "What makes you think I'm the one dying here?!"

"Simple logic? You don't have a partner and I'm no ordinary Opast." He sneered, his untamed hair falling over one eye making the remaining eye so much more intense. "I do have one request, though. If you entertain me enough, I'll let you live. Sound fun?"

"Die you disgusting freak," he hissed.

"You're already losing points. You can't imagine how many times I've heard that before." He even rolled his eyes with a shrug. "I'll give you the first hit. I want to see what God blessed you with."

Stupid arrogance; like he's that weak. He trained everyday. He was not weak. Kuroto dashed forward, using most of his speed, to strike the Duras in the heart. The enemy was fast enough to step back and have the sword graze the air, but Kuroto used a burst of speed to send his elbow into the man's chest.

The General Class staggered. "Your talent is speed. Offensive blessings are to come by, you know. One Zweilt had the ability to manipulate minds. Didn't fair well in battle, though."

Kuroto knew who he referenced, but to mask the hurt he felt, he resorted to anger. He attacked and attacked with quick thrusts, and the man parried them all with his hands. Having enough, he used his purplish-red magic to push Kuroto away, crashing on his back hard.

"I'm already bored with you. You just don't have enough incentive to fight me." He shrugged helplessly. "I get the feeling you don't understand how strong I am. That, or I chose a weak prey."

Kuroto got to his knees and clutched his aching sides.

"I know how to make you fight," the man said after a lightbulb moment. "I'll just massacre that nearby village. Humans really hate death."

"Don't you dare! Your battle is with me! Fight me!"

"I gave you a caveat not to bore me. You already failed. Goodnight to you, Zweilt of the Black Sword." He mocked a bow and teleported to the village.

This was way beyond his fight with Oboro. He needed his help now. But the villagers will stand no chance. He gritted his teeth and settled for racing to Oboro's tent, throwing the flap open, and rousing his partner awake.

"Inochi? What wrong?" he murmured.

"I solved the mystery. I think," he added, realizing he didn't know if the red-haired man actually killed those people. "There's a General Class out there. A sadistic one. He wants to attack the village!"

Oboro sat up so fast, it knocked Kuroto in the head, but Oboro didn't falter. He tied his long hair with a white ribbon, got his shoes on, summoned his naginata, and nodded to Kuroto. "Let's do battle."

By the time they find the Duras, the town is in flames, most of the buildings shattered, and the number of dead bodies was increasing. The Duras noticed them first, seeing the newcomer second.

"So that's your partner." He pointed his sword at Oboro, a black sword like Kuroto's, only thicker and razor sharp. "Do you want to entertain me next, Zweilt? I want to see what God blessed you with."

"Sorry, lucked out." Oboro kept his voice light. "Have you been killing people recently?"

"In this village? Of course."

"Oh, 'kay."

The Duras arched a brow. "Aren't you curious?"

"I didn't want to say anything, but now that the elephant's addressed, it should really be answered," Oboro said while Kuroto glared at him. "Just know that any creepy responses should just be saved. Like, bathing in the blood of the innocent."

"I did that once. Great for the skin."

"Mm-hm, wonderful. Creepy responses are banned."

Their enemy chuckled. "This human's already far more interesting you, Black Sword! To honor you, my name is Cadenza. I was sent to the human realm to retrieve blood to feed the others. The quality of normal humans are terrible. I had to keep coming back. But your blood will last longer. Shall we fight, Zweilt?"

Kuroto readied himself; Oboro, sweating, readied himself slowly.

"Oboro?"

"We're outclassed, Inochi. Are you prepared to die?" he whispered.

"Wha - this isn't the end! We can do this together!"

"There's a limit to our strength. He surpasses it. Maybe if his personality wasn't all axe-crazy, we might stand a chance. We are going to die here." He looked at his partner. "Don't forget this: I love you."

Their enemy, Cadenza, decided to launch an attack aiming for Kuroto. Oboro stepped in and redirected the hit. Kuroto then stood in front of his partner. He was the offense, Oboro was mostly defense.

The two of them fought against Cadenza; Kuroto making most of the hits and Oboro doing his best to redirect and counter hits. Neither of them could make a significant scratch whereas Cadenza had no trouble at all.

Both of them forgot to deploy a barrier, but it was too late. The Nagano Village was a pile of ash, debris, and the blood of two partners who knew it was the end of their lives.

That's why they could continue to get up over and over again. It would prolong their deaths, as well as them giving it their all for the finale. But it didn't seem like they were doing anything.

It takes four Zweilt and a Necromancer to fight one General Class. Fortunately members of that calibre were hard to make. They had to be pure, breed to fight from a young age, and if they didn't reach a certain quota, were killed. That's what Zess told them in his eerily impassive voice, not understanding how horrible that was.

Oboro and Kuroto were like the Murasame siblings. They weren't made to be a high-damage team. That was usually the gloomy brunette and the loud blonde's job for high damage. Like the siblings, they were a pair that could easily dispatch multiple, weak enemies in the shortest time possible. A hoard of fifteen dozen puppets could be cut down effortlessly.

Kuroto understood just why Oboro realized they were going to die. Cadenza was their antithesis. They were fighting a losing battle. No matter how many times they get up and fight, they will get knocked back down and not get up eventually.

* * *

 **Just wanted to write a few headcanons about Kuroto and Oboro; I don't think there's many fics about the two. I'll edit this up after school and will continue the story. Oh, and those flowers really do exist! Look 'em up!**


	2. A Push in Life

_words: 1430; time: 6-7 min_

* * *

 **first momentum**

 _._

Kuroto always needed a push in life.

The last words they told his mother was: _Wake up. It's a baby boy._ She told him that he refused to come out when nine months were up. Approaching ten months, medics decided they'll just cut the baby out of the womb. He was born still until a sharp slap to his thigh got him crying and a breath of relief came from everyone in the delivery room.

"They said you wouldn't make it. They thought you were a stillborn," his mother said. "But here you are, my baby boy."

With his first name _Inochi_ and his surname _Shinmei_ , Shinmei Inochi was born to the world on November first under the watch of a Master who was told the boy had the soul of his past life within him. That Master would check up on him every six months until it was time to begin training.

During the first six years of Kuroto's life, he was fast. He was not a fast-learner or started his milestones early, he was a child who did anything quickly.

He learned to run before he walked, he learned to ramble and about run on sentences before he could make simple sentences, he would break new toys within a day and have it looked like he played with it for years, and he did not understand what it meant to slow down.

The world to him was constantly changing. One day, the paper fans adults used during the heat didn't seem too interesting, but with another glance, possibilities of fun ran through his head. Maybe the mud puddles could be used for splashing, but after the first splash, he thought the puddle could be used for play food.

The longevity of everything in the world was simply too short. The adults realized this problem and attempted to get him involved in things that were slow: cloud watching, _go_ games, meditation, to name a few. All would interest him before he loathed their slow nature and became too bored to follow the rules, but edit the game to suit his own ephemeral pleasures.

"Slow down" were the words Kuroto heard the most.

At seven years old and no more patient than his younger days, he discovered he had the Feet of God. To him, it was a trivial power; it gave him the ability to cross distances fast and accelerated his senses long enough for him to process the world during super-speed. At first, the ability made him irritated. He was moving faster like he wanted, but the world had slowed down. To interact with world, he could never be as fast as he wanted.

His mother was proud her son could be a blessed Zweilt warrior just as much as his Master was, but the boy himself disliked it very much. Three weeks after his blessing is known by all, his Master appeared at his doorsteps and asked him to listen.

"Congratulations, Inochi, for your blessing," his Master said. "Have you received any past memories yet?"

He could recall brief glimpses in all his past lives, but was unable to make sense of it all.

"That's okay, you're still young. But, buddy, you're going to have to go into training. There you'll meet your partner, waiting for you."

Kuroto was at first hesitant to go. To fight in an 800-year war that had caused nothing but sorrow? At the age of _seven_? No way could _he_ do it! However, his Master said the word "partner" and his heart beat emphatically. He wanted to be near this "partner" of his, the hazy one from the memories. He had a feeling this "partner" would light up his world.

To reunite with someone he cared about but did not know: that was his push.

So Kuroto pretended not to be scared as he said goodbye to his tear-felt mother and some friends, and left with his Master to wherever his "partner" may be.

•

Traveling to his new home was much less eventful than the boy hoped. Every unfamiliar place interested him, but after becoming accustomed to them, he lost interest pretty quickly. His Master insisted they could not stop and tour until they reached their destination.

Riding horseback wore out the boy immensely. Everything fell into such a predictable uniformity that he found himself hating the fact he left home all because of hazy memories of his "partner" and of his blessing.

"What's the point of it?" He groaned under the noon sky. His Master looked over his shoulder, still guiding their horse along the road.

"Eh, Inochi?"

"My ability. My comrade. Why do I even needa go? What's the point?"

"What do you mean _what's the point_? There's a war going on out there. The current warriors defending our lives were little boys and girls just like you. You don't want to be one of them?"

"...it's not that..." Frankly, he didn't want to be a warrior. Whenever he saw one of them - and he _knew_ they were Zweilt based upon their silver rings - they always seemed so broken on the inside and their relationships with people felt superficial. Anyone could tell that warriors already had their special somebody that met all their needs and that any other person who tried to get close would never satiate them.

The problem Kuroto faced is the fact a Zweilt's life is not only ephemeral but predictable. They train, fight, possibly die, or heal from their injuries. All while retreating back to the same person to fix any emotional wounds every. Single. Time. It sounded so boring and pointless. Just like his ability.

But he wondered...who was his partner? Aware of such an existence, he feels oddly lonely.

"Is my partner alive?" His voice felt like it was begging even though it shouldn't be; he did not know the person.

"Definitely. He's only three years older than you, but he's alive and waiting for you."

"For me? Why?"

"Why? Because you're a Zweilt pair. You're not yourself unless you're with your partner."

Kuroto swallowed his frustration. Who said he needed another person to feel whole? He'd been doing okay by himself. Sure he was dying of boredom and craving new, interesting things, but...

"I don't need a partner."

"Hush. You're a child. You can't understand somebody you haven't met yet. And if you're lucky, you'd remember more about him."

"Oh yeah? What's his name?"

"His name isn't important, it's his personality you want." His Master saw how Kuroto did not believe him. "If I told you his name, it wouldn't spring any memories back. His name and appearance may be different than what you remember, but his soul is the same. So it's pointless for me to tell you his name."

The conversation started to feel pointless. "Then what's he like, huh?"

His Master smiled to himself. "It's easy to think of him as being the opposite of you."

"Opposite?! How're we gonna do anything if he's that different?!"

"You've managed for about six centuries," said his Master. "Trust me."

How frustrating! It felt like everyone was assigning him a role just for existing! You _must_ meet your partner, you _will_ get along with him, you _have_ to fight because you've done so in the past...

He could faintly remember a ruined battleground dyed silver with the moonlight and crimson. He could feel his heart aching during the time, when the past was present. Then the memory faded away.

Kuroto huffed.

"What if 'm not the person you want me to be?"

His Master looked at him; the boy knew he didn't take his words seriously, only thinking of it as being a simple insecurity.

"You are the person you're meant to be, Inochi. Boss re-birthed your soul for a reason. You are simply yourself of the past in a different era with another beginning. Quit being so depressing. You'll be just as the person you were."

His Master saw his pupil appearing even more grumpy. "Hey, Inochi. You may not be happy now, but you just need a little initiative. Then your true colors will shine. It's happened before, so it will happen again."

It clicked into place for Kuroto. To his Master, the precedents made in the past and the almost infinite cycle gives him comfort. If it's happened before multiple times, why wouldn't stop now?

Maybe Kuroto should have stopped complaining. Then maybe, in the distant future, the cycle wouldn't have stopped, and he could repeat his life together with his partner. He could be just like him Master: trusting the never-changing cycle.


	3. Wish When You Die

_2,317 words, approx 10 minutes_

* * *

 **second momentum**

Once Kuroto finally reached his new home, he forgot about his sour mood and perked up. Everything about entering a new, unfamiliar place made him excited more than overwhelmed or terrified. He noticed that his new home was brimming with magic. Passing though tree leaves, he got a full glance of the Japanese house, looking elegant yet long-lasting.

It looked infinitely better compared to his measly cottage. It's unfortunate his mother had to remain while he went. She'd loved the clean air and quiet surrounding; perhaps she would find Kuroto's father as well.

"Okay, buddy," said his Master. "This right here is your first home. The Kamakura Mansion is where you Zweilt-to-be and any other trainees stay. Once you're finished, you'll either stay here and guard the place, or move on to the other houses and positions."

"Really?" Kuroto said, drinking in the information. "What kinda places?"

"Well, HQ, for starters, but you have to be the best of the best to be stationed there. Then there's just the Twilight Mansion, which can support a whole bunch of Zweilt. Most of them, if not all, tend to go there and live. It's where Takashiro-sama sometimes go to as well, so there's that. He usually prefers going _here_ , though."

Ah, he's heard that name before, usually before a multitude of impolite insults. Takashiro was definitely clear as day within his memories: an intelligent, immortal man who could face Reiga head-on. No other Zweilt or Necromancer - one studying magic - could even come close.

"I'll see Takashiro-sama often, huh?" Adding the respectful honorific felt so natural.

"Yeah, he likes to check on you guys' progress. Plus he's got fond memories of the place."

The duo on the horse finally made it before the front gate that rested in front of a small bridge where two people - more than likely Zweilt - stopped them.

"Name?" said one of them.

His Master seemed reluctant to go through the security measures. "I'm...Master Giou Kisaki."

"The boy?"

"Shinmei Inochi, Feet of God, future Zweilt."

The other went through his scroll filled with kanji and shorthand Kuroto couldn't decipher. "Ah, you're here early!"

"Master, show me your Grimoire, then you may proceed."

His Master rolled his eyes as he pulled out his violet Grimoire from within his kimono.

"Very good. Thank you and you may enter."

"Thank you, boys." He got the horse to resume moving.

Kuroto looked at the partner rolling his scroll. Their eyes met, the older saying, "Being a Zweilt's going to hurt. Just remember to share the pain, 'kay?"

Before he could respond, the gates shut. With the horse not stopping, he was doomed to keep moving forward. His Master, Master Kisaki as he now knew, stopped his mount near a team of horses and slid off. He helped his pupil down and carried his bags.

"It feels great being back," Master Kisaki said, taking a big whiff through his nose of the place and let it out with a loud exhale. "Ready to meet the others?"

Other people...? Suddenly his stomach went cold and his legs felt weak. "W-Wait a minute..."

"You can't be getting cold feet now! Look, they won't bite!"

"B-But - !"

"You just need someone to get you moving! Don't worry." Master Kisaki picked up the boy in one hand and his stuff in the other and gleefully walked to the front door.

Kuroto saw through his bangs how many maids were cleaning up the outside and making it look perfect. He thought the maids shouldn't like working in these conditions, but aside from their silent, intense nature, they all seem well-nourished, their skin having a healthy glow.

His Master did not acknowledge the maids until they bowed to him. Then he made small talk until he stood before the front door.

"Master," said one of the maids, "do wish for me to open the door?"

"Yup! Thank you." He set the boy on his feet, grabbing his shoulders so the other wouldn't take off. "Ready, buddy?"

"No," Kuroto whined.

"...s'okay. You'll get used to this place eventually. Might as well start now, eh?"

The maid opened the door at this moment, bowing to his Master and boy before making her leave. The two made their way inside. The corridor was empty at first, but Kuroto could hear other people moving on the inside, wondering who just came through that door. Kuroto felt a sense of deja vu - like he'd been here before.

One by one, more heads peeked into the hallway from doors or hallways, muttering a "hi" or "good morning" or "welcome back." None seemed too interested in the boy which calmed his nerves briefly before the children came.

He heard multiple pairs of feet racing to his position; he saw the smile on his Master's face. When the children burst through the sliding door, Kuroto felt his heart jump.

The children looked around his age, with an odd few looking far older or younger than the rest. They saw him and their eyes glittered.

"I told them I was picking up a new friend," Master Kisaki whispered.

"This the boy you were talkin' about?!"

"Cute, cute, cuuuute!"

"I knew I was older than 'm!"

The kids closer to his age swarmed around him, poking his skin, touching his hair. Kuroto couldn't blame their curiosity - he wanted to do the same. Being a Zweilt meant these kids were actually his family members, no matter how much they're barely related now. A great many of the children had the same greenish-brown eyes him. Some had chocolate-brown eyes or blue eyes.

It also seemed popular to have strawberry-blonde hair, with blonde and brown colors being the most common. His own black hair wasn't that common and greenish-brown eyes were common. His black hair seemed to be typical for servants and maids, but the latter's connection could have been a stylistic choice.

"What's your name, new guy?" Kuroto heard and did not see who spoke it.

"Shinmei Inochi," said he automatically. "Pleased to meet you..."

The kids go one shrieking their own names that blur together into an indecipherable mess.

"Okay, kiddies," Master Kisaki called, taking their attention, "Inochi is tired from the trip. Let him rest and you'll get to play with him later!"

The children reluctantly let Kuroto go to his room and rest. Master Kisaki guided him to said room, telling him of directions to other places like the bathroom and training grounds.

He got to a room that looked the same as the rest of them and opened it up. "This is your room, buddy."

His Master showed him a room with four futon, three of which seemed already used. Knick-knacks of the other roommates laid about, giving him an idea of their personalities.

"You'll have to sleep with three other roommates, but they'll be boys, mind you." Master Kisaki took the lead and brushed away any items in their way to the corner of their respective owner. "You'll get that corner." He pointed to the futon near the wall with the window, just to its right. "Bedtime is two hours after the sun sets and you need to be up and going when it rises." He set the bags in front of Kuroto's new futon, taking a moment to stretch.

Kuroto pulled out his thick, blue blanket and laid it on his new bed. Roommates weren't a big deal. His own mother was his roommate for his entire life. What's two more going to do?

"Well, buddy, you might want to change into some new clothes. It's really warm outside. That's too thick on you. Oh, and get some rest, yeah? You won't have to follow the schedule your first week here, but do make an effort, 'kay?"

Kuroto nodded. He watched his Master leave the room, sliding the door shut. He was alone, with nothing but the sounds of nature. Like his Master said, he slipped into lighter clothes and got comfortable on his new bed, eyes growing heavier. He thought he was going to be restless, but this all felt so strangely comforting and natural...

•

"Let's pick our death wish ahead of time."

Kuroto saw a hazy person standing on a small hill facing the sunset, the other's back turned facing Kuroto. The sky was died purplish-pink and the surrounding forest's outline started to blur under the fading light. It felt surreal.

"It's so that we know what to face in our next life," continued the person. He had silky, black hair that stood out among the hazy scenery. "Don't you hate that uncertainty a new life brings? You'll make your wish and I'll make mine. We'll promise to make these same wishes as we lie dying, all right?"

He felt as though he said something confidently, but he could not hear the words. The other man must have heard him as he replied, "That's just like you. My wish would be...to die protecting you."

Kuroto's heart lurched; his dream self shouted something, enraged, and the stranger laughed quietly.

"You don't understand...I want to die doing the one thing I love most," said the other.

 _H-How lame_ , Kuroto thought, however he couldn't help but to think about how much this person cares... _cared_? about him. His other self was flustered.

"Promise you'll make that wish when you die," said he, almost begging. "I will. Won't you?"

Kuroto didn't know. At that moment, the dream blurred into darkness, the man's voice echoing until it became too low to hear. He heard a new voice:

arguing -

"Let him sleep, you bumblehead."

shouting -

"STOP calling me that! I just wanted a closer look!"

The noises irritated Kuroto, especially now that he was forced awake. He was groggy and moody. He opened his eyes and got to his knees in his futon, barely registering how dark the room was, and faced the two culprits who looked startled.

" _Why_ ," Kuroto complained, "did you just wake me up?!"

The obviously guilty boy paled and tried to make placating gesticulations. "C-C-C'mon! You're the new guy around here! Don't ya know we'd be a _little_ curious about ya?"

"Is your curiosity that bad where it beats common sense?" Kuroto hissed, regretting that fact his grogginess was wearing off. He couldn't continue the dream and get his answer.

"Usually," the boy said shamelessly.

Kuroto glared at him. The two hovering before his bed had blonde hair, with the older-looking one having brown eyes and the younger, baby-faced boy having bright blue eyes. The older wore his clothes neatly and the other had dirty, messy clothes. He smelled of earth and water. His older comrade smelled lightly of flowers.

Kuroto became completely alert and no longer sleepy. His energy from sleeping started to hammer away at body. He was hungry, he wanted to explore the house, who were these two - ?

"Well, this sucks!" huffed the younger one. "You're inna bad mood and this ain't the best first impression of me at all..."

"So what?"

The boy cleared his throat. "Pleased to meet you, Shinmei Inochi! I hope we can become the best of friends!"

Kuroto looked over to the older kid beside him. "That sounded rehearsed..."

"Not by me, by his Zweilt partner." The other boy seemed content of his roommate's guilt. "Sorry, he's just so impulsive sometimes. But since you're awake," - he smiled slyly - "what is your name? I'm Renjou Asagi and this mistake is Giou Seigo."

Asagi and Seigo. Simple enough names to remember. Now that they were officially family, it was ridiculous to call them by their last names.

"Well thanks to Seigo, 'm not real sleepy anymore," Kuroto said, looking at Seigo pointedly.

"Enough about that! All I did was poke ya a little! You ain't gonna die cuz of that!"

Asagi was merciless. "Regardless. You could have watched like _he_ did, but you couldn't."

"Wait," Kuroto said, "who?"

"Oh, right, he's right across from you." Asagi pointed to the futon in the other corner.

Kuroto didn't realize there was another boy in the room as well.

The boy paused in the middle of getting himself ready to lie down and sleep and looked at him with a _gentle_ , sleepy smile. He then curled into his bed.

Kuroto felt something within him awake when he saw the face. Semi-short black hair secured within a blue ribbon and warm, amber eyes like melting gold.

He watched his sleeping figure.

"That's our other roommate for a total of four," Asagi said, not aware of Kuroto's feelings. "He's Furuori Oboro. And he's doing what we all need to be doing. Sleeping," he explained for Seigo's sake.

"I know, I know! 'M goin'!"

Kuroto got comfortable in his bed once again, hearing the other two do the same, occasionally shifting positions or to make funny one-liners, until the room was silent with only the crickets outside. Cautiously, he sat up, careful to make no noises, and looked over to the boy named Oboro. There was something so familiar to him, but Kuroto couldn't figure it out. His mind exhausted every possibility he could think of before impatience took over. He decided to fall back to sleep and forget about the whole ordeal, but he would find the next day it wasn't that easy.


	4. Honey Eyes

_About 2705 words, approx 10 minutes._

* * *

 **third momentum**

Kuroto thought he understood his place in the world when it came to waking up in the morning. Most days, he'd wake up at the crack of dawn to practice or burn energy. In any case, he'd always be the alarm clock for his sleepy mother.

So, he was shocked when the blondie shook him awake and told him, "Wake up, sleepyhead! It's your first day here in Kamakura!"

Kuroto was appalled, offended even. Waking up others was _his_ job, and Seigo was making a run for his money! In response, Kuroto grabbed his pillow and whacked Seigo.

"Waking others up is my duty, got it?" he scolded.

Seigo tossed the pillow away. "I like wakin' the others up! You can't change the order like that!"

"Let me rephrase. You can sleep in late while I do the waking up."

"What's so important about waking everyone else up?!"

Waking up before anyone meant that he could have some alone time. He could be himself. The boy said instead, "I don't care how much you complain, I'm waking them up!"

Seigo fumed. "Nah-uh! It's MY duty! You wanna fight for this?!"

 _Stubborn little_ \- "You're going to lose, Seigo!"

"Bring it, Inochuu!"

"What?!"

Seigo already created a "nickname" for Kuroto. Ino could be the sound for "boar," and chuu was the sound for "insect." Kuroto was flustered because he can't think of a nickname fast enough.

"Seigo, Inochi, calm down. It's too early for this," groaned the only rational person in the room, Asagi. The boy rubbed his eyes, yawned, and started to fix his futon. "Inochi, stick with us and we'll guide you in your first morning."

Kuroto followed Asagi and Seigo as they washed their faces, took a bath, and met in the dinning hall. A few other children and adults were already seated. Seigo immediately left to sit next to a girl and Asagi let Kuroto sit next to him.

It seemed Asagi regularly sat next to a girl and a boy who looked remarkably similar to Asagi.

"That's my younger brother," Asagi said, "Sarato. He's Hina's partner."

Hina was a big bundle of joy and energy and girliness. She chat and chat with her partner, probably unaware Kuroto was there. She looked cute, he admitted.

Sarato was absolutely stoic. It was like looking at a rock if it were a human. His eyes were eternally calm except when they met Hina's and Asagi's eyes. Then they softened and the extent of his care was shown.

He noticed Kuroto right away and nodded in his direction.

Kuroto waited as more and more children began to show. Those newcomers asked him all kinds of questions about his family and where he lived, who was his master and his partner.

"I dunno who's my partner," he said. "How am I supposed to tell?"

Asagi answered for him. "A Zweilt knows who their partner is by instinct. Is there anyone that connected to you the most? Did you get any memories of them?"

He shook his head. His memories were hazy and he didn't remember yesterday clearly.

"It'll happen soon," Asagi said to comfort him. "Anyways, Takashiro-sama will be heading to breakfast today. He can tell you who your partner is."

Kuroto felt a little guilty being in the center of attention. He hurriedly answered the rest of the questions and waited for breakfast to began, trying to cause as little attention as possible. He heard Asagi sigh, "He's going to be late again."

"Who is?" Kuroto said.

"Our roommate, Oboro."

Kuroto looked around. He didn't see him anywhere! What a headache! He found himself ticked off. "Don't worry, I'll find him."

"Huh? Inochi, he's always around thirty minutes late. I wouldn't bother - "

"I'll be back soon. I'm fast." He got to his feet, not caring about the heads that swiveled in his direction as he ran to find that boy.

The room was empty and so was the bathroom. He asked servants and other adults, but no luck. Oboro had to be in the mansion somewhere. Kuroto didn't know any more logical places he could be. Instead, he focused on trying to sense Oboro.

He heard many Zweilt partners could do that very thing: able to locate their partner through their bond. Kuroto wasn't his partner or had much of a bond, but the more he focused on the boy with the amber eyes, the more Oboro's existence tugged him. He followed the trail eyes closed, vaguely aware he stepped out the mansion and was walking on grass without shoes. Oboro's existence felt strong, so Kuroto opened his eyes.

There he was, sitting next to the koi pond where fish swam in circles within crystal clear water. Oboro looked to Kuroto and smiled.

Seeing his face made Kuroto's heart race, but so did his frustration.

"Oboro! Don't you know what time it is? Breakfast! So get in there and eat with everyone!" Kuroto scolded.

Oboro looked to the heavens in thought. "I do enjoy breakfast."

Kuroto waited for him to add upon his words. No way...he was done with his sentence! "And? Why are you outside watching boring fish?"

"First I was watching the moon fade into the sun," he said slowly, as if recalling the experience. "It was beautiful. Now I wait, watching the fish because they're so mesmerizing."

"...huh? You're missing breakfast because of fish?!"

"Rather...breakfast is such a specific time, but the world isn't so specific. There's always beauty any time or the day, especially when it conflicts with human schedule."

Kuroto...could not comprehend his meaning. He assumed this Oboro was still half-asleep.

"Okay, listen! We're going back now. I can't eat thinking you're out here starving yourself and watching fish."

Oboro's wide eyes practically glowed as the boy beamed. "If you really insist, Inochi..."

Kuroto grabbed the boy's wrist and dragged him along, following the smell of hot food rather than knowing the way. He slid open the door and found everyone in the room looking at him, but their food remained untouched.

They weren't too late!

"Sorry we're tardy. This guy wanted to sit outside starving." He pointed to the panting, older boy. "But we're here." Kuroto covered his mouth with a hand and whispered, "Where d'you usually sit?"

It was irritating to see how happy and nonchalant the boy was being. "Ah...I'll sit wherever you will today."

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

The two sat beside Asagi, Hina, and Sarato and their meals were set in front of them. Kuroto noticed how quiet and formal the children were being. They were so relaxed a moment ago...

"Asagi, what's going on?" he whispered.

"You didn't notice? Everyone's respecting Takashiro-sama."

"Why? He's here?"

"He's not only here, but he's at the head of the table. Look."

He looked and it made sense.

The man appeared elegant yet powerful. His long hair signified his high social status, his scar on his cheek indicated that we was a fighter. Kuroto felt something stronger than deja vu. It felt like he'd seen him hundreds of times before with little to no changes.

Immediately, he started to eat formally as well.

"Hey, Inochi?" Hina was whispering to him. "Takashiro-sama's been watchin' you ever since you came in."

He nearly choked on his rice. "Wh-What?! Is it a bad look?"

"It's kinda like a...'analyzing' look."

"Like he's watching you very closely," Asagi explained.

Kuroto turned and punched Oboro discreet as he could. "You idiot. If my first impression is ruined 'cause of you..."

"I'll take any punishment," Oboro finished, confident. "I won't mind."

What in the - ?! What's up with this guy?!

His mother had often mentioned that Zweilt were sometimes eccentric. Sure there were normal Zweilt, but then there were the ones where you were sure that they lost a few screws. This boy was one of them.

His mother told him to beware the eclectic ones...however Kuroto found himself interested yet irritated. Oboro wasn't predictable as of now. That made him exciting to be around.

But being late because of fish and being some kind of masochist was annoying. He couldn't possibly get along with this boy at all.

Kuroto was the first to be finished and complimented the meal to the chef's aides. He waited and Hina, Sarato, and Asagi were done. All he had to do was wait for Oboro...

...he hadn't even finished the first part of his meal!

The kid savored every flavor. Oboro munched slowly and took forever to eat the next bites of his meal.

"Pick up the pace, would you?!" Kuroto hissed. "We're finished."

"Go on without me. This breakfast is so delicious..."

Kuroto was about to reply with something forcing him to go along, however it's not needed. They weren't friends. There was no need to make Oboro come along with him.

"Fine. Asagi, what now?"

"It seems Takashiro-sama is finished. We can go talk to him, but my brother, Hina, and I will leave for training soon. You'll stay here and get used to this place first."

Kuroto weighed his options. "I wanna ask about my partner."

Therefore the four found themselves mere centimeters away from their leader. Takashiro appeared even more powerful close up. He met Kuroto's eyes and said, "Welcome to the Kamakura Mansion, Inochi. How are you liking it so far?"

Kuroto felt himself flush; this guy seemed so impressive to him. No doubt his past lives were causing this. "It's great, a lot bigger than home. Uh, Takashiro-sama, how am I supposed to find my Zweilt partner?"

The leader curved his lips upward and spoke, "You haven't figured it out already? If you've met everyone here, than you must know who they are. Have you connected to someone almost immediately? Have you any thoughts about that person?"

Well...all he knew from Master Kisaki that his partner was three years older than him. But some of older children look younger than they are, so it's pointless. He looked to Hina and Sarato who immediately understood the unasked question.

"We found each a few months ago!" Hina said. "On my seventh birthday, I had to come here for training and I brought a gift for my new buddy. I asked around all day long, until, at sunset, I saw two brothers lookin' out the window for the view. I joined them and then I just knew Sarato was my partner." She smiled proudly.

"But how did you know? How could you tell that person was important to you?"

Hina shrugged. "It was a...a click. Like he was familiar to me."

Kuroto slumped. Not very helpful.

He heard Takashiro stand from behind him. "How about this: if you can't find your partner, maybe they can find you. Both partners feel the 'click,' after all."

Kuroto brightened. "Of course!"

Kuroto and his new acquaintances searched the dining room for the remainder of the partnerless children if they felt a "click" with Kuroto. He found himself feeling more and more hopeless as he received denial after denial.

Even after asking everyone he could think of, Kuroto groaned in frustration, bubbling over with anger and impatience. If only Master Kisaki told him who he was looking for instead of being so vague! And the fact that Asagi, Sarato, and Hina had to leave soon for their practice made his mood worse.

Then he saw Oboro with his half-finished plate and decided to take his anger out on him.

"You're the slowest person I've ever seen! Including the elderly!" Kuroto pointed to Oboro's plate and hoped to see him mad. The other boy only tilted his head. "What's with that look?!"

Oboro's eyes seemed vacant...

"Oi! You there?!"

He blinked. "I respect the elderly. Thank you for the compliment."

"Compli - what?! I'm INSULTING you! Get mad! Get furious!"

"That's so much effort and nothing good comes from anger," sighed the boy. "Are you sure that's an insult? It sounded so nice."

What's wrong with this guy?! Speechless, Kuroto grabbed his plate and gulped down the rest of it slamming it on the table. "Insult enough for ya?!" His words are barely audible with the food in his mouth.

Oboro clearly didn't understand him. "Okay. I hope you think it's yummy, too: the breakfast. Though...I can't help but wondering if you eating my food is some sort of indirect kiss?"

At that, Kuroto spit the food out, a good deal landing on Oboro. He grabbed cloth and wiped his mouth off. "The heck are you doin' sayin' things like that?! Don't you know that stuff's gross?!"

Oboro helped Kuroto wipe off the food from his face before cleaning himself off. "Love is a very serious thing to me. I don't believe in cooties."

Kuroto blanches in horror. How did this boy get so screwy in the head?!

Asagi followed by Hina and her partner entered the scene and allowed Kuroto a rest. Asagi said first, "We've been asking different Zweilt if they've felt a connection with Inochi, because he doesn't remember who his partner is, and he doesn't know what the 'click' feels like."

"A 'click?' I have never felt that before..." Oboro mused. "I just know who my partner is. From my memories."

"Not everyone's like you!" Kuroto shouted. "What am I gonna do?! Master Kisaki said I have a partner but I can't find them and they can't find me! Are we really partners after all...?"

Hina put her hands on his shoulders and gazed at him with big, brown eyes. "Don't you dare doubt your partner! I know they exist somewhere...whether they're too shy or maybe they're too sick to notice you. The bond between you and your partner isn't something that can be broken easy-peasy!"

"Still...I can't find them."

"It's been, like, less than a day? There's plenty of time!"

"Guess that's true..."

"If Hina's cheered you up, I'm glad," Asagi smiled. His brother also nodded. "Hey, Oboro, you've been here three years and you're still partnerless. Did your partner...you know...last life?"

"Ah," says the boy, "nope. He's alive."

"Really? Where is he? Any word about him?"

"Well...just like in the last life, my partner is rather slow in finding me just like I'm 'slow' in general," Oboro said nonchalantly. "We have that 'slowness' in common, thankfully."

"What's so great about that?" Kuroto said. "You don't know how your partner's doing! And you're too lazy to find out!"

"Lazy...? Not quite. I have all the information I need."

"Oh yeah? From who?" Kuroto was certain he caught him in a lie.

"From whom?" he echoed. "Ah...that would be from...you, right?"

"Me?! What are you tryna pull - ?!"

He stopped midsentence because something in him clicked.

Ever since he saw the sleepy gaze of the boy with honey eyes, he hasn't escaped his thoughts for long. Sure Kuroto had to deal with his new surroundings, but his mind always strayed back to the boy like a magnet.

Why was that so? Kuroto assumed it was the boy's weirdness, but that can't be so...he remembered his dream just last night...of the wish and the promise. Suddenly giving that hazy person this boy's personality made Kuroto feel...nostalgic.

"You're...you're..." Kuroto heard himself mumbling, eyes locked on Oboro. "Y-You're..."

He saw Oboro preparing to respond, to complete his sentence:

"...you're a primrose."

Kuroto heard the "p-word," but not the right one. "What?"

"It's a hobby of mine giving my friends flower nicknames," Oboro explained. "You'd be the primrose. It's currently my favorite flower."

Kuroto blinked. "You...can't possibly be my partner, can you?"

At that moment, Hina gasped in happiness, Asagi and Sarato shared a look, and Oboro's cheeks turned pink. "You really didn't remember me? How embarrassing. By the way you were acting earlier, I thought you knew."

"Congratulations, Inochi, Oboro," Takashiro interrupted, beaming. "You've found each other in this life as well!"

The remainder of the children applauded the two of them, but all Kuroto felt was horror. Somehow...SOMEHOW he'd managed to get along with a guy like Oboro?! For many years at that! But...this didn't feel like a big joke. In fact, he couldn't detect a hint of mirth, only happiness.

"There has to be a mistake!" Kuroto yelled. "This guy CAN'T be my partner!"


End file.
